Tag Archives: Lou Reed

Song of the Day: I Believe by Lou Reed & John Cale

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

In today’s song of the day, Lou Reed sings about Andy Warhol and discusses his personal feelings toward Valerie Solanas, the woman who shot and nearly killed him.

Judging from the lyrics, this song was written after Warhol’s death in 1987 but before Solanas’s death in 1988.  Needless to say, Reed did not have much use or sympathy for those who attempted to turn Solanas into a revolutionary icon or who claimed that her action could be explained by her mental illness.  Reed demanded retribution and, with this brilliantly angry song, he got a little.

This song comes from Songs For Drella, a 15-song cycle about the life and art of Andy Warhol.

Valerie Solanas took the elevator
got off at the 4th floor
Valerie Solanas took the elevator
got off at the 4th floor
She pointed the gun at Andy saying
you cannot control me anymore

I believe there’s got to be some retribution
I believe an eye for an eye is elemental
I believe that something’s wrong if she’s alive right now

Valerie Solanas took three steps
pointing at the floor
Valerie Solanas waved her gun
pointing at the floor
From inside her idiot madness spoke and bang
Andy fell onto the floor

I believe life’s serious enough for retribution
I believe being sick is no excuse and –
I believe I would’ve pulled the switch on her myself

When they got him to the hospital
his pulse was gone they thought that he was dead
His guts were pouring from his wounds
onto the floor they thought that he was dead
Not until years later would
the hospital do to him what she could not
what she could not

Where were you, you didn’t come to see me
Andy said, I think I died, why didn’t you come to see me
Andy said, It hurt so much, they took blood from my hand

I believe there’s got to be some retribution
I believe there’s got to be some retribution
I believe we are all the poorer for it now

Visit me, visit me
Visit me, visit me
Visit me, why didn’t you visit me
visit me, why didn’t you visit me
Visit me, visit me
visit me, why didn’t you visit me

Songwriters: John Cale/Lou Reed

Music Video of the Day: No Money Down by Lou Reed (1988, directed by Godley and Creme)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

“Lou decided to get Godley and Creme to do the video for ‘Video Violence’ with these robots. Then the label decided to change single, but Lou didn’t want to waste the robots, so you had this great clever pop song with a video of this robot tearing its own face off… MTV debuted it, and then we got a call saying people were complaining that their video was making kids cry.”

— Lou Reed’s bassist Fernando Saunders on the music video for No Money Down

That pretty much says it all.  How many young viewers were traumatized by the discovery that Lou Reed was a terminator?  I can’t imagine that the man between Metal Machine Music minded too much.

Enjoy!

Song of the Day: Lisa Says (by Lou Reed)

Posted on by Arleigh

In honor of Lisa Day the latest “Song of the Day” definitely fits the Lisa-theme chosen for today.

“Lisa Says” was originally released in 1969 by the rock band Velvet Underground. The song got another release in 1972 as part of Lou Reed’s (who was part of Velvet Underground) solo debut album in 1972. The song definitely has a slow, bluesy sound which is barely above the level that would make it a ballad. Instead it ends up sounding like a Valentine card to all Lisa’s everywhere.

Without further ado…“Lisa Says”.

Lisa Says

Lisa says, on a night like this
it’d be so nice, if you gave me a great big kiss
And Lisa says, honey, for just one little smile
I’ll sing and play for you for the longest while

Lisa says
Lisa says
Lisa says, oh, no
Lisa says

Lisa says, honey, you must think –
– I’m some kind of California fool
the way you treat me just like some kind of tool
Lisa says, hey baby, if you stick your tongue in my ear
then the scene around here will become very clear

Lisa says, oh no
Lisa says, hey, don’t you be a little baby
Lisa says, oh, no
Lisa says

Hey, if you’re looking for a good time Charlie
well, that’s not really what I am
You know, some good time Charlie
always out, having his fun

But if you’re looking for some good, good lovin’
then sit yourself right over here
You know that those good, those good times
they just seem to pass me by, just like pie in the sky

And Lisa says, on a night like this
it’d be so nice if you gave me a great big kiss
And Lisa says, hey baby, for just one little smile
I’ll sing and play for you for the longest while
let me hear you now

Lisa says, oh, no, no
Lisa says, hey, don’t you be a little baby
Lisa says, oh, no
Lisa says

Why am I so shy
Why am I so shy, Gee, you know those
good good times, they just seem to pass me by
Why am I so shy

First time I saw you I was talking to myself
I said, hey, you got such pretty, pretty eyes
(that pretty eyes)

Now that you’re next to me I just get so upset
And Lisa, will you tell me, why am I so shy

Why am I so shy
Why am I so shy, well, you know that those
good, good times, they just seem to pass me by
Why am I so shy

And Lisa says, on a night like this
it’d be so nice if you gave me a great big kiss
And Lisa says, honey, for just one little smile
I’ll sing and play for you for the longest while

Lisa says, oh, no, now
Lisa says, hey don’t you be a little baby
Lisa says, oh, no
Lisa says